How much Pride does it take to be Prejudice
by Thalia Rivendell
Summary: It's been several years since Elizabeth and Jane Bennett have had their happy ending, but what about Mary? In the 21st century we find the great-great-great-grandson of Mary Bennett in a love story of his own. Will he be too proud to talk to the new girl on his street, or is she too prejudice to notice him?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Darcy Fitzwilliam looked at what was left of her home from the back of the ambulance. She had walked home from the local college to find the structure in flames.

"Miss, are you alright?" she heard a voice say.

_No, I'm not alright. My house and family just died in a fire._

"Yes I'm fine thanks." She pulled the scratchy blanket tighter around her shoulders to block the chill that crept over her body. Another person came into Darcy's view and she looked up into the face of a kind man.

"Ms. Fitzwilliam? I'm Detective Bennett, may I ask you a few questions?" the man said.

Darcy nodded then said "But only if you call me Darcy, 'Ms. Fitzwilliam' makes me feel old."

Detective Bennett smiled. "Alright Darcy. You walked home from the college campus to your home in flames correct?"

"Yes."

"Do you know of anyone that might have a reason for setting your home on fire?" Detective Bennett had a small notebook out and he was scribbling down his questions and Darcy's answers.

Darcy's brow furrowed. "You don't think this was an accident."

The Detective looked at Darcy over his notebook. "I think very few things are accidents until I am proven wrong."

"That's funny, most people think the exact opposite." Darcy said with a snort.

"I'm not the most usual of detectives." Detective Bennett said with a chuckle. "Do you have anyone that you can stay with?"

"Yes, my cousin Collins."

"If it's ok, I would like to have her address and contact information in case I need to get in touch with you again."

"Sure." Darcy gave the detective her cousin's phone number and her address.

"She lives in Austen Heights? That's where my family and I live. We just moved in a few months ago. How are you getting there tonight?"

Darcy looked at the setting sun and shrugged. "I'll probably walk."

"Nonsense, I'll drive you there." Detective Bennett said kindly. "Here, lets give this raggedy old blanket back to the EMT's and load up."

Darcy smiled at how kind the detective was being to her. She shrugged off the blanket and took Detective Bennett's hand to get down off of the high truck. They made their way to the car and Darcy settled in.

"Next stop Austen Heights." Detective Bennett said just like a cab driver in the movies.

Darcy gave a little chuckle and leaned the seat back. She was asleep before they got out of her driveway.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The smell of pancakes wafted up the stairs and into Darcy's nose. She opened her eyes to see her cousin's face just inches from hers. Darcy jumped and gave a little yelp of surprise.

"Morning!" Collins said cheerfully.

"Yeah, morning. You know you could have told me that when I came downstairs for breakfast." Darcy grumbled as she gently pushed Collins out of the way so she could get up.

"But then I wouldn't have been able to scare you." Darcy's cousin literally bounced on her toes.

"My point." Darcy stretched up onto her toes and reached her hands towards the ceiling. It felt good to stretch after falling asleep in Detective Bennett's car. It had left her with a crick in her neck but she was still grateful for the ride.

After a hot shower Darcy made her way downstairs to the kitchen where Collins and her Aunt Charlotte were already digging in to stacks of pancakes. Charlotte looked up and smiled warmly at Darcy and patted the chair next to her. Darcy sat down and filled her plate with her Aunt's famous pancakes and bacon.

"How are you feeling dear?" Aunt Charlotte asked gently. Darcy loved her Aunt and she loved the way her Aunt could comfort you without saying much at all.

"I'm feeling ok I guess. It's still really hard to believe what happened." Darcy answered while poking at a pancake with her fork.

Aunt Charlotte nodded and looked down at the table. Darcy noticed that her Aunt's eyes were red and slightly puffy. Darcy knew that she had been crying and had been trying to hide it. Darcy reached out and placed a hand on her Aunt's shoulder.

"I miss them too." Darcy said quietly. She had not cried all night, probably out of shock, but tears sprang to her eyes now. Wiping them away Darcy stood up and took her plate to the sink.

"Are you sure you want to go to classes today Darcy? I'm sure that Collins could talk to your professors and have them email your assignments to you." Aunt Charlotte said quickly taking the plate from Darcy and putting it in the dishwasher.

"No, I want to go to classes. Add some normalcy to my life. I need that right now."

Aunt Charlotte nodded and gave a smile that warmed Darcy's heart. "Well then I hope that the two of you have a good day."

"Thanks mom!" Collins hopped up and grabbed her school bag. "Come one Darcy! Maybe we can catch Adam before he goes to class!" Collins was practically dancing like an excited puppy at the front door.

"Who?" Darcy's knit her eyebrows together and tilted her head to one side.

"Adam! You know, Adam Bennett?" Collins rolled her eyes at her cousin and opened the door. "Let's go before he beats us there!"

"Wait, do you mean the tall guy with blond hair?" Darcy asked.

"Yes! That's Adam Bennett. He lives on our street you know. His dad was the one that brought you here last night."

It finally clicked in Darcy's mind. "No way. That guy that sits in the back of the auditoriums and broods all the time? That can't be Detective Bennett's son. Detective Bennett is nice and caring and his son is so, so‒"

"So _gorgeous_!" Collins squealed. "His eyes are so green they look like emeralds. And what I wouldn't give to have him wrap one of his arms around me and pull me against him!" Collins blushed when her mother cleared her throat.

"Is that the reason why you go to class everyday?" Aunt Charlotte asked raising an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Of course not mom, he's just the best part. You know that I enjoy my classes." Collins skipped over and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before grabbing Darcy's arm and propelling her out the door. "Bye mom! See you later!"

Darcy and Collins made it to the college before Adam did, but Collins was the only one out of the two that seemed excited about it.

"There he is!" She whispered excitedly to Darcy. "He really is just gorgeous."

"Sure Collins, whatever you say." Darcy bumped her elbow into her cousin's side. "Watch it, you're drooling on me."

"I am not!" Collins screeched then flushed bright red when Adam turned to see what the commotion was.

The first thing Darcy noticed was his eyes. They really were the color of emeralds and his features were strong but not overly so. He really was a good looking guy, but Darcy would never admit it.

Adam looked Collins over like she smelled bad then his eyes swept over to Darcy. Darcy expected the same look that he had given her cousin, but instead their eyes locked for a moment and Adam looked slightly stunned. Adam then seemed to come to his senses and turned away and walked to class.

"What was that about?" Darcy asked herself.

"What was what about?" Collins chirped.

Darcy shook her head slightly and looked at her cousin. "Nothing, it was nothing." She hitched her school bag up onto her shoulder and headed for the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sitting next to her cousin in class was the most boring thing for Darcy. They were in the largest auditorium on campus for a class that every student had to take: English 1001. There was no way to get out of this class; Darcy had tried everything in her power to do so at the beginning of the semester but to no avail.

"What is he talking about now?" Darcy heard Collins whisper to her neighbor.

"I don't know, something about some book." The girl shrugged then leaned past Collins to touch Darcy's arm. "Darcy, I'm so sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do please let me know." The girl smiled warmly and Darcy nodded her head.

Darcy had no clue who the girl was or how she even knew Darcy's name but she appreciated the sympathy all the same. Collins was acting like her family hadn't just died, which was helping Darcy get through it but was also kind of annoying. Darcy knew that Collins missed her family, Darcy had heard her cousin crying last night when she went up to bed.

When class ended Collins grabbed Darcy's hand and walked with her to the next class.

"Collins, you don't have to stay by my side all day. I'll be fine." Darcy said giving her cousin's hand a squeeze.

"I know you will but I want to stay with you. You are all the family I have left." Collins replied quietly. Darcy looked at her cousin's face and saw a tear slide down her cheek.

"I know that you are trying to act like nothing happened to help me through this, but maybe lay off the chipper a smidge alright?" Darcy wiped her cousin's tear away and Collins smiled.

"Yeah I guess you're right. I was just trying to cheer you up." Collins smiled and hugged Darcy.

"I know and I love you for it." Darcy hugged her cousin tight then cleared her throat.

"Darcy, why is Adam staring at you?" Collins whispered in Darcy's ear.

Darcy stiffened and looked over her shoulder and sure enough Adam Bennett was looking, no, _glaring_ at Darcy. Darcy had no clue why he was glaring at her, she had done nothing to him.

When Adam saw that Darcy was staring he turned and walked briskly away. Darcy tugged on Collins's hand and began to follow him.

"What are you doing?" Collins hissed. "We are _not_ following Adam Bennett. Darcy are you crazy?"

"No, he was glaring at me. I didn't do anything to him and I want to know why he was glaring at me." Darcy towed Collins behind her and found Adam sitting on a bench under a giant oak tree. Walking right up to him Darcy looked down from her vantage point.

"Did I do something to you?" Darcy asked without any preamble.

Adam didn't look up from the book he was reading. "No, why do you ask?" He asked calmly.

"Because you were just glaring at me. Glaring at someone usually means did something wrong." Darcy crossed her arms. She could hear Collins behind her trying not to hyperventilate.

"You must have been mistaken. This is the first time I have seen you." Adam looked up at Darcy with a blank expression.

An angry blush rose to Darcy's cheeks. "That's a lie. This is the third time you have seen me today."

Adam just shook his head. "I'm sorry but you are wrong. I have been here ever since class let out. And even before class got in." He picked up his book and stood up. He was standing so close to Darcy that she could smell his cologne and she immediately loved it. And hated it that she loved it.

"Darcy lets go." Collins urged her cousin, pulling on her arm trying to get her to move.

"Darcy, is it? I am Adam Bennett. It is a pleasure to meet you." Adam held out his hand to Darcy. She looked at his hand and shook her head.

"No, the pleasure's all mine." Darcy answered sourly and turned on her heel pulling Collins behind her.

Adam stood and watched Darcy head for the science building. He could still smell her sweet scent and he wished that he could have been less of a jerk to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rest of the day went by in a blur for Darcy. One minute it felt like she was in class, the next she was bumping into Adam Bennett on the sidewalk.

"Oh, excuse me I‒" She stopped when she saw who it was. In the afternoon sunlight he looked handsome.

"There's no need to apologize, it was my fault. I was actually coming to talk to you." Adam inclined his head for them to continue walking. Darcy followed but kept a couple of steps back, she wasn't sure what he was going to do but she wasn't going to stand close to him anyway.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Darcy asked trying to keep her voice light. She was still a bit miffed at how he had treated her earlier that day.

"I wanted to talk to you about your parents. You did see me earlier today, I just didn't think you had noticed." Adam kicked a stone in his path.

"The glaring gave you away. What did I do to you anyway?" Darcy stopped and faced Adam.

"You didn't do anything, your parents did."

Anger rose in Darcy's chest. "What do you mean my parents did? What could they have possibly done to you?" She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Adam the same glare he had given her just a few hours earlier.

"They killed my mom." Adam said flatly.

Darcy's heart stopped. "No, you will not accuse my parents, my _dead_ parents of killing your mother." Darcy turned and stormed off but not before Adam's hand closed around her arm.

"Darcy, please listen to me. I shouldn't have stated it like that."

"You think?" Darcy wrenched her arm from his grasp but did not turn to leave. "You look me in the eye and tell me what they supposedly did."

Adam took a deep breath and looked Darcy in the eye. It was the first time that he noticed her eyes were as blue as the ocean and he almost caught his breath. Shaking his head slightly he cleared his throat.

"They were working together on a project when something went wrong. My mother was caught in the blast and died. Your parents both made it out just fine."

"Of what exactly Mr. Cryptic? What were they doing? What kind of job did they have?" Darcy was not believing his story and just wanted to go home and cry before Collins came home.

"Darcy, your parents were secret agents."

Darcy laughed and turned away. "Right and I'm the Queen of England! My parents weren't spies." She hitched her bag up on her shoulder and picked up her pace.

"Wait Darcy. They were secret agents. There is a difference. Pay mainly, but still." Adam jogged a little to catch up with Darcy.

"And how would you know all of this?" Darcy rolled her eyes and stopped short when a hand flew in front of her face holding some sort of badge.

"Because I am an agent, and so are you."

Darcy looked at Adam and slapped him across the face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Ouch!" Adam rubbed his cheek where Darcy had hit him.

"Did that hurt? Good!" Darcy yelled then turned on her heel and stalked off towards her cousin's home. "I can't believe that you would make up such bullshit!"

"Darcy, stop. I'm not done explaining." Adam caught up with her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Darcy whirled on him with a fire in her eyes that made Adam's heart give a little leap. "Oh yes you are! How dare you say something like that to me! My parents just died in a house fire and you make up some lame ass story saying that they are not dead and that they were some sort of spy!"

"Not spies, secret agents." Adam corrected her.

"What the hell is the difference!" Darcy yelled not actually looking for an answer, but Adam gave her one anyway.

"Pay grade. And they get cooler gadgets." He said rather sourly.

"I can't believe you would be this low." Darcy glared at Adam with tears falling down her cheeks now.

"Darcy, no I'm not‒"

"Save it, I don't want to hear it." With those words Darcy walked away. She couldn't believe that Adam would be so unfeeling and say something like that. Her heart ached all the way home and she knew that it wasn't just for her parents.

When she opened the door Collins was already sitting at the kitchen table. "Hey there's my favorite cousin!" she called cheerfully as Darcy walked in.

"Hey Collins. I'm going up to bed." Darcy mumbled as she climbed the stairs.

"Is there something that you aren't telling me?" Collins asked. "You seem more down than usual."

"I'm fine I just had a run in with Adam."

Collins hopped up from her chair and grabbed Darcy's arm. "You talked to him again? That's twice in one day! How the hell did you accomplish that?"

"I didn't ask for the second time. He started talking to me and then I slapped him." Darcy crossed her arms over her chest.

Collins's eyes went wide. "You slapped him?! What were you thinking?"

Darcy pulled away from her cousin and stormed up the stairs. "He deserved it. He said my parents killed his mom and that they were all part of some spy group and that he was part of it and so am I." Darcy ranted.

Collins bounced up the stairs behind Darcy. "He said that to you?"

"Yeah can you believe that?" Darcy threw open the bedroom door and flopped on the bed.

"I can't believe he told you that."

"I know! It was so stupid." Darcy gazed at the ceiling. She felt the bed shift when her cousin sat down on the bed beside her.

"I can't believe that he told you that without me. We agreed that we would tell you together." Collins shook her head biting her lip.

Darcy sat bolt upright. "What did you just say?"

Collins looked at her cousin and laid a hand on her arm. "What Adam told you was the truth. At least about the part of your parents being secret agents and that you are one as well. We still don't' know how his mother died, we've been working on that for years now."

Darcy blinked her eyes a couple of times. "You're telling me that what he said was true and that you are a spy too?"

"Secret agent. Spies get paid more and get cooler toys." Collins said bitterly.

"Stop it Collins. This isn't funny anymore." Darcy stood up and went back downstairs and found her Aunt Charlotte in the kitchen.

"Hello Darcy, how was class today?" Aunt Charlotte asked kindly.

Darcy ran to her aunt and threw her arms around her, burring her face in her aunt's shoulder.

"Was it that bad? I told you to stay home today."

"It's not that, Adam Bennett told a bullshit story about my parents and then Collins went along with it. I'm just so pissed." Darcy sobbed into her aunt's shoulder.

"What did they tell you sweetie?"

"They both said that my parents were spies and that they were one and so am I. it sounds stupid telling you." Darcy sniffled.

"Honey your parents weren't spies."

"I knew it!"

"They were secret agents." Aunt Charlotte rubbed Darcy's back softly.

Darcy pulled away from her aunt and looked her in the eye. "Not you too."

"Darcy, take a breath and sit down. I'll explain everything. Adam wasn't supposed to tell you yet. He will get in trouble for doing so. And as for your cousin, well I'll deal with her later."

"No, it can't be true." Darcy breath started to come faster and her vision clouded.

"Darcy calm down." Aunt Charlotte's voice cut through the pounding in Darcy's ears but she couldn't focus. Reaching a hand out Darcy found the kitchen counter and then collapsed.


End file.
